DECEMBER '08 / JANUARY '09
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The latest edition of Modern Boating magazine is out now! To get your copy delivered to your door, simply click o
Modern Boating and Big Hat Productions head out for a glorious day on the water to give the Seawind 1160...
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Fishing for superlatives
WORDS: WARREN STEPTOE
PHOTOS: NICK WOOD & WARREN STEPTOE
Take a deep breath—this could just about be perfection done up as sportfisher.
Innovation has never been a stranger to Haines Group boats but few of their many earlier initiatives match the recently released 485SF. Translated from 'Haines-ish', this designates a 4.85m sportfisher. However, there's so much more to this boat than that.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
New resin transfer technology involves GRP laminates being created by injecting tightly controlled amounts of resin into a two-piece mould. It produces mouldings with smooth finishes on both sides; they are thinner, stronger and lighter than a traditional fibreglass lay-up inside a female mould only. Haines Group technicians first used this technology to produce components of a (then) new 675F model we tested in Modern Boating. From this experience they went on to develop an even more sophisticated process they now call 'Rivale', which stands for 'resin injected vacuum assisted low emission'.
'Resin injected' is self-explanatory. 'Vacuum assisted' refers to the use of vacuum bagging, a technique often used in US built boats, although only occasionally seen amongst Aussie boat builders. 'Low emission' refers to the new process' strict control of styrene emissions—a greenhouse gas inherent in traditional GRP boat building we're better off without.
read on below advertisement
What the Rivale handle doesn't explain is a dramatic reduction of labour intensity during production. At a recent release of the 485SF and new 70, 80 and 90hp Suzuki outboards, John Haines (junior) revealed that using Rivale technology, 485SF hulls can be built in 14 man hours instead of more than 50, facilitating their ability to offer a better boat at competitive cost. Which explains this boat in a nutshell.
The new 485SF's hull involves two Rivale mouldings forming the interior and the outer hull, with foam filling between, all bonded into a single unit by another Haines Group developed proprietary process called Nexus.
Readers may have observed demonstrations involving large 4WD's parked atop inverted 485SF hulls at Boat Shows this season. After seeing that, you can form your own opinion about the structural integrity this construction achieves.
From here we have to tell you that the 485SF becomes somewhat like that oft quoted set of steak knives—wait... there's more!
BOAT FOR ALL BUDGETS
The boat you see on the cover sits at the top of the range, powered by one of Suzuki's new 70hp four-stroke motors with a price of just over $35,000. At press time, all the details weren't finalised, but this new technology hull will ultimately be available in several versions and in various packages ranging from a bare bones tiller steer model with a 30hp motor for around $14,000; up to (and beyond) the cover boat.
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PHOTOS: NICK WOOD & WARREN STEPTOE
Take a deep breath—this could just about be perfection done up as sportfisher.
Innovation has never been a stranger to Haines Group boats but few of their many earlier initiatives match the recently released 485SF. Translated from 'Haines-ish', this designates a 4.85m sportfisher. However, there's so much more to this boat than that.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
New resin transfer technology involves GRP laminates being created by injecting tightly controlled amounts of resin into a two-piece mould. It produces mouldings with smooth finishes on both sides; they are thinner, stronger and lighter than a traditional fibreglass lay-up inside a female mould only. Haines Group technicians first used this technology to produce components of a (then) new 675F model we tested in Modern Boating. From this experience they went on to develop an even more sophisticated process they now call 'Rivale', which stands for 'resin injected vacuum assisted low emission'.
'Resin injected' is self-explanatory. 'Vacuum assisted' refers to the use of vacuum bagging, a technique often used in US built boats, although only occasionally seen amongst Aussie boat builders. 'Low emission' refers to the new process' strict control of styrene emissions—a greenhouse gas inherent in traditional GRP boat building we're better off without.
read on below advertisement
What the Rivale handle doesn't explain is a dramatic reduction of labour intensity during production. At a recent release of the 485SF and new 70, 80 and 90hp Suzuki outboards, John Haines (junior) revealed that using Rivale technology, 485SF hulls can be built in 14 man hours instead of more than 50, facilitating their ability to offer a better boat at competitive cost. Which explains this boat in a nutshell.
The new 485SF's hull involves two Rivale mouldings forming the interior and the outer hull, with foam filling between, all bonded into a single unit by another Haines Group developed proprietary process called Nexus.
Readers may have observed demonstrations involving large 4WD's parked atop inverted 485SF hulls at Boat Shows this season. After seeing that, you can form your own opinion about the structural integrity this construction achieves.
From here we have to tell you that the 485SF becomes somewhat like that oft quoted set of steak knives—wait... there's more!
BOAT FOR ALL BUDGETS
The boat you see on the cover sits at the top of the range, powered by one of Suzuki's new 70hp four-stroke motors with a price of just over $35,000. At press time, all the details weren't finalised, but this new technology hull will ultimately be available in several versions and in various packages ranging from a bare bones tiller steer model with a 30hp motor for around $14,000; up to (and beyond) the cover boat.
next page »
« go back
